IAG News

Engage from a principles-based position, focus on building strong political institutions. This was the message of IAG Executive Director Benedicto Bacani at the opening of “Usapang IP sa Bangsamoro” last Friday, August 30, in Cotabato City.

A vast majority of traditional Muslim schools in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao and adjacent regions struggle with limited resources for their operations and aspire for government recognition to get support.

IAG's latest research aims to provide baseline information to promote the use of data and evidence in crafting public policies on traditional Muslim schools in the Philippines and in the evolving education system of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

IAG has partnered with the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA) to bring to the Philippines for the first time the Indigenous Peoples’ Constitutional Assessment Tool (IPCAT) to help IP leaders deepen their understanding of how the current legal regime promotes indigenous rights.

Member parliamentarians of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) Ad hoc Committee on Administrative Code participated in a learning session and workshop aimed to equip them with knowledge and skills in drafting the rules for organizing the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) parliamentary government.

EDITOR'S PICKS

Given that it is a new feature in the BOL, it remains to be seen whether or not the IGR Body in the BOL, which is usually a feature in Federal Constitutions, will provide a suitable mechanism to balance the call for an active role of the President to supervise the BARMM as provided in the “take care clause”, with... Read more

We in the Concom share the hope that there is still time to revise the 1987 Constitution. Much more, we believe that indeed, federalism is the answer to the myriad of problems besetting our country and our people.
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The Constitution prescribes the modes of revision but leaves it to the drafting body to devise the mechanics of the writing process itself. In this regard, it must be emphasized that railroading the process will only result to a new constitution having no legitimacy at all. Hence, Filipinos cannot simply leave constitutional reform in the hands of politicians.
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With the present implementation of the BOL, opening the constitution for amendments will be a strategic opportunity for the Bangsamoro to strengthen what they have gained in the peace negotiations and ensure that justice, genuine peace and development can be achieved in Mindanao.
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Is convergence of the dreams of multiple communities in southern Philippines possible? Is it an illusion to work together as partners to realize all our dreams, not one at the expense of another?
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Because the BTA is just starting out, all eyes are on us. This also means that there will be more questions and issues that arise that would not be amplified otherwise. For example, there have been questions regarding the speed in which the BTA can deliver its mandate to the people.
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The concept of intergovernmental relations (IGR) is traditionally associated with federal systems. But many scholars maintain that IGR mechanisms can and do play a key function in unitary systems with embedded decentralization arrangements such as the Philippines.
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How does the BARMM evolve a relationship with the national government? Would it be through intergovernmental relations? Would it be better through devolution as was in the previous ARMM, or just by executive order of President Duterte, banking on his strong political capital? These are some of the fundamental questions that need answered to make BARMM work for the Bangsamoro.
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